Baby bather



May 3, 1949. 4 R. w. FAULHABER 2,468,742

BABY BATHER Filed Dec. 15, 1945 INVENTOR.

7801A ND W. FA U4 HA BER va-0L? 1' V4127 A TTORNEXS Iatented May 3, 1949 BABY BATHER Roland W.Faulhabcr;Monroevillegflhio, assignor, by mesneuassigmnents, tO CL Norton, Jr.,

Chicago; Ill.

Application December 15, 1945, Serial No. 635,316?

This invention relates toan improved safety cradle for the support of infants.

It is well known that when infants are being bathed, or when they are put upon a table -'or other support for dressing, that they can-not be safely left alone in case of an emergency.- It is an object of this in-vention to provide-a safety cradle which willsafely support and confine the infant for these operations, which will be sturdy, and which willv resist all efforts of the child to dislodge it from its support.

Prior devices of. this .type have been relatively complex and heavy, and have. been fabricated? of expensive materials which require numerous costly forming and assembly operations. It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple device which can be cheaply manufactured of relatively inexpensive and readily obtainable stock, and which requires a small number of manufacturing operations.

Present devices of this type have proven to be heavy and bulky. Such a device which is used but a small part of the time should be as compact as possible for storage and it would be of great advantage if it could be disassembled for packaging or travelling. None of the prior devices offer these advantages. This invention provides a device which can be knocked down and stored or packaged in a very small space, and yet be strong and rigid when assembled. Furthermore, this cradle may be assembled and disassembled by the owner, however inexperienced he may be in such matters. Other objects will appear in the appended description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View of a safety cradle made in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the means employed for assembly of the cradle.

Proceeding now to a detailed description of the device, it may be seen in Fig. 1 that it consists primarily of two C-shaped supports I, made of fiat stock and which are maintained substantially parallel and which are properly spaced by a central cross member This member serves the additional function of forming a back rest for the child. An adjustable strap 3 is attached to each end of the cross member 2, in order that the child may be confined in the cradle. Suction cups may be fitted in any convenient manner to prevent dislodgement of the device by its occupant.

2 is an enlarged perspective view of a porticn of the device showing certain details of con i struction not heretofore mentioned. The central cross-member 2 is also formed of flat stock and is given a substantially degree twist at each end to provide fiatportions 5 which-act as hearing surfaces upon supports zl. Bolts ii, or any other convenient fasteners connect the crossmember 2: to the supports 1. Tongues 1. are form-ed: bybending the ends of cross-member .2, and these tongues serve two functions. Firstpin conjunction with the bolts, tongues l serve as aligning means whereby the supports l are maintained substantially parallel to one another, and at right angles to the cross member 2. Second, tongues i may be apertured to support links v8', which serve as terminal fastenings for the strapfi.

It will be seen that the device is simple and rugged. ancithat it attains the objectives of the invention. The central location of cross-member liandstrap 3 insures that'norundue. leverage: action will be exerted upon the suction cups in case the infant strains against these members. Furthermore, this central support arrangement permits the device to be made of relatively light stock, because all parts are supported at both ends. It can also be seen that the device can be readily knocked down and assembled, and that, when it is knocked down, it can be arranged to occupy a very small space.

Having thus described the invention so that others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, I state that what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is defined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A cradle comprising a pair of horizontally disposed, substantially parallel C-shaped members, the ends of which serve as supports for the device, a cross-member made of flat stock the body of which is disposed substantially vertically to serve as a back rest and the ends of which are bent to be disposed substantially horizontally, said ends being attached adjacent the central portion of said C-shaped members.

2. A cradle comprising a pair of horizontally disposed, substantially parallel C-shaped members, the ends of which serve as supports for the device, a cross-member made of flat stock the body of which is disposed substantially vertically to serve as a back rest and the ends of which are bent to be disposed substantially horizontally, said ends being attached adjacent the central portion of said C-shaped members, and vertically disposed tongue means integral with said horizontal end portions of the cross-member, said central portion of said C-shaped members, and

vertically disposed tongue means integral with said horizontal end portions of the cross-member, said tongue means serving to maintain the support members in substantially parallel relationship, said tongue means also provided with terminal fastening means for a confining member.

4. A safety cradle adapted to rest upon a substantially horizontal surface comprising a pair of relatively rigid frame members each frame member having a pair of longitudinally spaced foot portions joined by a generally U-shaped portion, a body engaging and supporting cross-member connected adjacent the central portion of said frame members, said cross-member serving to maintain said frame members in spaced relation, and body confining means cooperating with said cross-member to confine the occupant to the cradle.

5. A safety cradle adapted to rest upon a substantially horizontal surface comprising a pair of relatively rigid frame members each frame member having a pair of longitudinally spaced foot portions joined by a generally U-shaped portion, a body engaging and supporting cross-member detachably connected adjacent the central portion of said frame members, said cross-member serving to maintain said frame members in spaced relation, and body confining means oooperating with said cross-member to confine the occupant to the cradle.

6. A cradle adapted to rest on a substantially horizontal surface comprising a pair of substantially parallel U-shaped frame members the free ends of which have foot means that serve as supports for the device, a relatively rigid crossmember attached to substantially the central portion of said frame members, said cross-members serving to maintain said frame members in spaced relation, and confining means cooperating with said cross-member to confine the occupant of the device, said confining means being attached adjacent the central portion of each U- shaped member.

'7. A safety cradle adapted to rest upon a horizontal surface comprising a pair of substantially parallel C-shaped frame members with free ends, said free ends serving as supports for the device, a relatively rigid cross-member attached to substantially the central portion of said frame members, said cross-members serving to maintain said frame members in spaced relation, and confining means cooperating with said cross-member to confine the occupant of the device, said confining means being attached adjacent the central portion of each C-shaped member.

ROLAND W. FAULHABER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,173,055 Stern Feb. 22, 1916 2,285,900 Chapman June 9, 1942 2,288,692 Fearson July 7, 1942 40 2,383,918 Muller Aug. 28, 1945 

